


Presence

by nfoliage



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Long-Distance Relationship, Short, Shumako week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 14:05:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17448392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nfoliage/pseuds/nfoliage
Summary: Sometimes Ren was there, via texts, phones, and video calls; and it's enough to make her giddy for the next three days, hugging her buchimaru plushie to sleep and imagining she's holding her long distance boyfriend.But sometimes it's not.For shumako week day 3: Distance.





	Presence

**Author's Note:**

> I magically wrote something?! Shumako week is a wonder.
> 
> Unbeta'd.

Makoto asked Sojiro for warm cup of latte (he insisted it's on the house) after reading for about an hour. There's an emptiness around Leblanc when Makoto dropped by to study for her courses - as they say, the first year is going to be the hardest one. So she came there often. The quaint little cafe was perfect for reading, and Boss didn't mind her sitting there for ample hours at a time. 

It's silent aside from the grinder sounds, the whir of coffee machine pouring out milk foam, the muted clink of cup on saucer. Working noises that she appreciated - easier to mute out than people noises. 

"Thank you very much, Boss."

Makoto sipped her latte. It's good, as always. And it served as a nice break from her reading. 

She couldn't differ coffee "notes" quite yet, despite what Ren teached her. Makoto could tell if she liked a blend or certain single origin beans; how she preferred something with low acidity; and if something's good, mediocre, or bad. But lately she never asked boss for pure black coffee. It's always something with extra milk, sugar, or syrup. Something to mute out the delicate flavors. 

It's not the bitter taste of coffee that she's avoiding. Ren once said, three things define a cup's taste: beans, brewing technique, and... The barista.

She wondered what he's doing right now. Is he practicing his brewing skills? Is he studying? Maybe working part-time at that Junes department store? She knew his list of activities, but she can never know what he's doing at the moment, and he haven't replied to her messages since 1 pm. Not that she's checked in the last hour, and to be frank, she didn't really want to, at the moment - for fear of breaking her concentration. 

Sojiro's a great barista. He really is. But despite Makoto's untrained tongue, she knew there's a certain note missing.

She's only ever tasted it in Ren's coffee. 

Makoto sighed, and tried to read her textbook again. 

\-----  
It's weird how a person's presence works. Sometimes Ren was there, via texts, phones, and video calls; and it's enough to make her giddy for the next three days, hugging her buchimaru plushie to sleep and imagining she's holding her long distance boyfriend. But sometimes it's not. 

Makoto would end up the call with sweet goodbyes and a tired "see you soon", with promises of possible dates when they can, and shared fantasies of future plans. Yet she'll sunk on her bed feeling those are mere words. They don't have any upcoming holidays that's long enough for him to not get exhausted for the return trip. They don't have any set date to meet up yet. And it became increasingly normal for them to video call once every other week, instead of the previous once a day. 

It's normal. She insisted to herself, it happens. She told herself their letters, calls, and occasional gift exchanges are enough. 

The more she think about it, it's not really about the distance. It's the reassurance that she'll see him again tomorrow at school. At Leblanc. The safety of knowing he's within minutes from Ginza line.

There's only 6 months to go.

**Author's Note:**

> :(
> 
> I'm in my second year of LDR. It's kinda ok, occasionally tough, but not impossible. I gotta say, though, this prompt is a little hard for me to sketch out because sometimes you just gotta put it in words.
> 
> I mainly draw so see my shumako works on twitter! >> @nfoliage_


End file.
